30.8.2008 - Jussi Välimäki fought against World Rally Cars in rally of Uusikaupunki - Fourth position keeps Championship hopes alive

Pneultimate round of Finnish Rally Championship serie was rallied at the end of August in a region of Uusikaupunki city. The rally was absolutely fantastic and very exciting show of WRC-drivers as they measured their speed in eight high speed special stages.

Flying Finn Jussi Välimäki with his home-made group-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII N++ rally car was left without any chances to battle against top-tuned World Rally Cars. Also transmission problems took stripped Välimäki and his STC-Meat rally team from arms. However fourth position in group-A guaranteed enough highly valuable Championship points so that the battle for the final title of Group-A Finnish Rally Championship continues in three weeks at the final round of the series.

Jussi with his co-driver Kai Tarkiainen started rallying without any pre-rally tests or preparations - Rough flu kept Välimäki in beds for whole pre-rally week. Also the participation for the rally wasn't clear not even on the rally morning due heavy sickness. However Välimäki showed his fighters skills and entered behind the steering wheel of his rally car and rallied as best as he ever could in his lowsy condition and technical troubles. After eight special stages STC-Meat rally team wasn't satisfied for the result - even it was the best they did in the rally with their un-competitiveness rally car.

- Lack of testing was shown on our rallying for the whole day and transmission problems didn't helpt it at all. Also rough flu kept had an effect for my concentration skills. For the whole final stage and final transit section to the finish line I rallied with jammed gearbox. It was stuck on fifth gear and therefore the gap for the winner Jukka Hiltunen was increased for over two minutes. It was a rough and not so good day for us, analyzed Välimäki his rally day.

- Today we had no chances to battle for World Rally Cars. Very high speed special stages of Uusikaupunki were better for WRC drivers than us. Therefore all three World Rally Cars were in final standings in front of us. However as my worst rival mr. Ari Vihavainen finished third and I was fourth the battle for the title will continue in next three weeks at Mikkeli. I'm keeping my hands crossed to find a budget for renting a World Rally Car. Therefore I and my fellow rival mr. Vihavainen could have equal changes to fight for the title, Välimäki continued.

SM Uusikaupunki rally, final results, group-A: Top-5
1. Jukka Hiltunen & Jarkko Kalliolepo, Ford Focus RS WRC'03, 44:31,7sek
2. Jukka Ketomäki & Kai Risberg, Skoda Octavia WRC, +3,7sek
3. Ari Vihavainen & Lasse Hirvijärvi, Ford Focus RS WRC'01, +39,8sek
4. Jussi Välimäki & Kai Tarkiainen, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, +2:21,5sek
5. Janne Mäkilä & Ilkka Ruusunen, Mitsubishi Lancet Evolution VI, +3:55,0sek

Finnish Rally Championship standings after 6/7 events: group-A: Top-5
1. Ari Vihavainen, 68
2. Jussi Välimäki, 67
3. Jukka Hiltunen, 52
4. Arto Juolahti, 32
5. Janne Tuohino, 25